Late Friday night in the beach neighborhood of Isla Vista, near the University of California at Santa Barbara, reported gunman Elliot Rogers opened fire while driving and killed at least six people before crashing. He was found dead at the scene after a brief shootout with police. Additionally, seven more people were wounded. The attack occurred in multiple locations and resulted in nine crime scenes. The semiautomatic handgun recovered at one crime scene is believed to be the weapon used during the mass murder. The attack is being described the attack as “premeditated” and a “mass murder situation.” According to reports, prior to the shooting, the suspect uploaded a YouTube video titled “Elliot Rodger’s Retribution.” His video describes a plan to attack sorority girls and college students in retribution for his self-described loneliness. Throughout the video, Rogers describes himself as godlike and expresses his desire for vengeance. Rogers authored an additional 21 videos and received many comments from followers.
In this incident, the video posted online to YouTube offered context and prior warning for the eventual attack. Twenty-two year old Rogers shows the changing techniques and methods used by criminals in the evolving world of social media, which can be helpful in mitigating against potential threat scenarios. Rogers authored an additional 21 videos and received many comments and views. The video shows the importance of monitoring and collecting intelligence from social media platforms as part of a comprehensive, layered security plan and analyzing social media to support emergency action plans.
MSA Security's Research and Intelligence Analysis Group provides real-time intelligence on events and worldwide threats as they evolve.
